Checking central heating pressure after bleeding radiators

[Puggit]

We have a 6 year old David Wilson home, with an Ideal ICOS HE18 boiler ( user guide)which provides hot water for our airing-cupboard tank and also for the central heating.

The upstairs radiators are terrible at filling up with air, and it's easy enough to bleed them. The problem (?) is that I cannot see a guage for central heating pressure - so I've no idea if I'm causing a problem by bleeding the radiators.

[Ferg]

Is it pressurised? Or hoes it have a header tank? The ICOS system boiler has a gauge below the boiler on the pipe connection to the left. If it's not a system boiler the pipes will come out of the top on the right.


Edited:

Of course it may be a vented boiler fitted to a sealed system in which case you will have a red pressure vessel somewhere and a filling loop.

Edited by Ferg on Monday 3rd January 10:05

[Puggit]

Ahhh, thank you kind sir.

The pipes come out of the top right of the boiler, and in the airing cupboard there is a foot high red 'Cubex' tank.

So I don't need to top the pressure up while bleeding? I've only ever had on-demand combi-boilers. This is all new to me!

[Ferg]

Puggit said:

Ahhh, thank you kind sir.

The pipes come out of the top right of the boiler, and in the airing cupboard there is a foot high red 'Cubex' tank.

So I don't need to top the pressure up while bleeding? I've only ever had on-demand combi-boilers. This is all new to me!

The red vessel sounds like a sealed system. No gauge there??? Or filling loop (stainless braided flexible hose)?

[Puggit]

Thank you - found it all. The gauge and filler valve were both hidden at the same height as a shelf in the airing cupboard.

Mrs Puggit had also put towels on top.

[Ferg]

Cool!!
1 bar cold.

[Puggit]

Hmmm - might need to get a plumber in.

It was recording 0.2bar when I got to it, and I can't get it above 0.8bar (2 bar is recommended). I suspect the gauge is at fault.

[Ferg]

It should be connected with a safety valve (red knob?) which will be piped to the outside, probably. Is it leaking from there?

[Puggit]

Ferg said:

It should be connected with a safety valve (red knob?) which will be piped to the outside, probably. Is it leaking from there?

Nope

[Ferg]

Puggit said:

Ferg said:

It should be connected with a safety valve (red knob?) which will be piped to the outside, probably. Is it leaking from there?

Nope

So if you leave the filling loop open it only goes to 0.8 and you can here the water filling can you?

[Puggit]

Ferg said:

Puggit said:

Ferg said:

It should be connected with a safety valve (red knob?) which will be piped to the outside, probably. Is it leaking from there?

Nope

So if you leave the filling loop open it only goes to 0.8 and you can here the water filling can you?

I could hear it filling, then the noise died down as it reached 0.8.

Tonight I can definitely feel the difference in ambient temperature!

[Ferg]

Maybe you only have 0.8Bar available in the main...

[Puggit]

Ferg said:

Maybe you only have 0.8Bar available in the main...

Ahhhh - yes. Water pressure in the house isn't brilliant.

Ferg - you're very clever with other people's plumbing!